


To Live a Lie

by Draig (ann)



Category: 12 o'clock High
Genre: M/M, Multi, Threesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-18
Updated: 2010-09-18
Packaged: 2017-10-11 23:43:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/118460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ann/pseuds/Draig
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Following the events in "In Total Agreement"...</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Live a Lie

**_To Live a Lie_ _By Draig_**

 **_A sequel to "In total agreement"_ **

Technical Sergeant Sandy Komanski curled deeper under the covers trying to retain what little heat he could from the now vacant spot by his right side and wished that his lover, General Frank Savage, had not needed to return to Pinetree so early in the morning. Realising that he was fighting a losing battle he finally gave up the vain attempt to stay warm and sat up, reaching over his other lover to the packet of cigarettes that always rested on the bedside table.

Colonel Joe Gallagher felt his young lover moving about the bed and knew that he too was missing their other lover. "What’sa matter?" he finally asked pulling the covers back, squinting blearily up at the younger man as he spoke.

Sandy shrugged; he still found it hard to believe that Frank was actually still alive and that he was in a relationship with both of the older men. Who also happened to be his commanding officers.

It had begun several months ago when he had believed, along with everyone else, that General Savage had died when his plane had been shot down and he had slipped into the loving embraces of Colonel Joe Gallagher. It had felt so right between them that over time they had gone from being virtual enemies to friends until finally lovers.

Then Savage had returned, nearly ripping Komanski's fragile world apart. It was after a particularly gruelling bombing raid, during which Komanski had suffered a rather nasty head injury, that he had discovered that Frank was not dead after all. He had been taken directly to hospital upon landing but had slipped out of the hospital before Dr Kaiser had seen him, to burst into Joe Gallagher’s office to find the man they all believed dead standing in front of him. The shock had been too much and he had slumped to the ground in a dead faint.

Upon awaking and during the confusion that followed, he had fled the room and sought sanctuary under the wings of the Piccadilly Lily. He felt torn apart. Now that his first male lover was back, how could he chose between the two men? In the end he’d decided not to choose at all. Instead, he would request a transfer away from Archbury, leaving them both behind him. His injuries had caught up with him though and after Savage and Gallagher had found him unconscious, he had ended up spending the next few days in hospital.

When he was finally released he had been ordered to report to Gallagher’s office and, when he did so reluctantly, found himself kidnapped by the two officers. Brought to the cottage where they now spent their every free moment, he was shown quite effectively that he had no reason to chose between either man. That night both General Frank Savage and Colonel Joe Gallagher had shown him just how much he meant to them both.

Now he could not imagine life without either of them and so they had slipped away the night before to spend a few hours in intense passion at the cottage that they younger man had grown to love. There was no rank or ceremony there, only the love between the three of them.

Savage had waited until they were all lying, near exhaustion, before he broke the news that he would have to return to Pinetree early the next morning, due to a very important staff meeting.

Sandy felt the blow of his leaving harder then Joe, as Komanski had believed that they were all free for weekend. A weekend that he had been looking forward to for the past two weeks of straight bombing runs. Gallagher, who understood his feelings, sat up to take the lit cigarette from his fingers, claiming a kiss along with it. He took a long drag, releasing the smoke slowly before he said, "Look on the bright side Sandy, at least we’ve got the next two days off..."

"So did Frank," came back the sullen reply, "or at least I thought so."

Joe smiled at the pout that finished the words then continued. "Frank said he would only be a few hours but knowing the pompous asses at Pinetree we could be talking most of the day, so why don’t we take a drive over there and see if he’s free for lunch."

Sandy threw Joe a startled look before he broke into a wide smile. "Do you think we could?"

"Hell yes, I think we could.... After all, I haven’t been over to Pinetree to beg for spare parts in at least a week, so they will be expecting me on my day off."

Sandy looked at the smiling face of the man he loved and, reaching out, he took that beloved face in a gentle grip. Leaning forward he kissed the lips, saying, "It’s not worth us leaving for at least another couple of hours and I doubt if either of us are going to fall back asleep...." He raised an eyebrow in question.

"No... I don’t think I’m going to sleep for a little while," Joe replied innocently as he felt a swelling within his body.

"Good, ‘cause I hate to play alone first thing in the morning." With that Komanski struck and the man on the bed under him didn’t argue much against the suddenness of the attack.

* * *

Pinetree was a hive of activity when Komanski slammed the jeep into a skidding halt at the base of the steps that lead into the building. Colonel Gallagher climbed.

"Stash the jeep at the motor pool and then come find me. I’ll see if I can find out what Frank is up to for lunch. And Sandy... try to keep it under twenty within the compound OK," he told the sergeant.

"Alright, I’ll see you at the General’s office in about five." Komanski was not too upset by his commanding officer’s words as a warm smile and a twinkle in the eye had accompanied them but for good measure he grumbled as he pulled away. "You never complained about my driving this morning."

Gallagher stood for a few moments, staring after Komanski in surprise, then shook his head ruefully, a smile chasing across his lips as he remembered their early morning activities. With a sigh he wiped the smile from his face and entered the building.

Komanski pulled the jeep to a dead halt inside the Pinetree motor pool and leapt out. "Any chance of a re-fill while she’s here?" he asked the mechanic nearest to him.

The older man looked up, noticed the air force uniform and the handsomely brash young man looking at him with hopeful eyes and smiled back, before waving an oil soaked rag. Mumbling around a large cigar he groused. "You flyboys... OK, Komanski... I’ll top the tank up and if I get time I’ll give it a once over. It sounded like it was running rough."

"Thanks, pops," Komanski said, then shot out of the garage as the large man reared up at the name and started after him. The two men knew each other and Sandy had been able to get the older mechanic his favourite cigars when they were in short demand.

He was still laughing and glancing back over his shoulder looking for pursuit as he trotted along the pathway back to the main building. With his attention still fixed behind him, he didn’t see the two men who rounded a corner and stepped into his pathway until he stumbled into them.

"Oops," he began, stumbling to regain his footing. Once that was done he began to apologise. "Sorry...."

"Try looking where you’re going, boy," one of the men snarled, giving Komanski a hard shove away from them.

"Hey!" Sandy protested but then landed hard on his backside from another shove from the second man. "Why you...." Komanski jumped up, prepared to finish what the other man had begun.

"What the hell is going on here?" A rich voice demanded, full of southern drawl and authority.

"This dumb hick ran into us, sir," one of the other men reported, coming to attention.

Sandy span about and then stood to attention as well when he saw the tall handsome major striding towards them.

Hands on hip and an angry gleam in his eye, the officer said, "Peterson, Howell, I know you guys just can’t wait to get back into the fight but let’s try to make it with the enemy, huh? Now get back to where you belong." The haughty southern accent was strong and raced right along Sandy’s backbone, almost causing him to sneer. Sandy knew the type of man who stood before him. He though it was his right to command because of his family background and not because of his ability. Komanski wisely kept his mouth shut as the major carried on, "And you are?" The look up and down indicated quite clearly that the major did not like what he saw before him.

"Technical Sergeant Alexander Komanski. From the 918th at Archbury, sir," Sandy added as an afterthought, then gritted his teeth when he realised that he was reacting just as the other man wanted.

"Well Technical Sergeant Alexander Komanski from the 918th at Archbury, I suggest that you get about your business." Again the pause that give clear indication that the major did think that Komanski had any business there at all. "And try not to trip over your own feet.... Boy."

Komanski felt the snarl return but fought to push it down as he remembered the reason for his visit to Pinetree. Neither Savage nor Gallagher would be too impressed if he were up on charges for slapping a smug sneer of an officer’s face, no matter how much the jumped up arse-licker deserved it. "Yes sir," he snapped, saluting and awaiting the reply before he pushed passed the other man.

Before he had gone more than a few steps he heard the major call his name. He stopped and turned back towards the other man.

"Komanski, you said you fly out of Archbury?"

Sandy opened his mouth to reply but was stopped by the look of fury on the officer’s face.

"Sir?" he queried after a few tense moments.

"I’ve heard about you, Komanski." He made the name sound like an insult as he spat it out. "None of it good and I don’t particularly like you. You’d better not step in my shadow again because I’m watching you and nothing would give me greater pleasure then to have you drummed out of the army for the lowlife that you are," the major snarled out, his face now white as if seeing some ghost.

Sandy thought the words a little harsh and the man’s reactions even harder. He thought back to see if he had ever met the man before but he could not recall ever meeting him before so he just answered, "I’ll remember that, sir."

"I don’t like your attitude or your type, Sergeant, so just stay out of my way otherwise you’ll be the one to pay," the major finished before turning and striding away.

Sandy stood gazing after him for a moment in shock and then turned to go back on his way. He was still fuming when he reached the front steps of the large building that housed the heart of Pinetree’s command centre. As he bounded up the steps he felt his anger drain away at the thought of meeting up with his two lovers.

"Sandy," Gallagher called when he saw the younger man enter the building. As Komanski approached he continued. "Frank’s caught up in that meeting for the next hour or so. I did get to speak to him briefly during a break and he said that he should be free for the rest of the afternoon and tomorrow. So we can either wait here for him or wait at the local pub."

"Local pub," Sandy immediately answered, seeing the major he had just had a run in with entering the building from the other doorway.

The major immediately spotted him and the man he was standing next to and approached them, a forced smile plastered across his face as he held out his hand saying, "Colonel Gallagher, it’s a pleasure to met you, sir." The southern accent was almost dripping with honey this time as the hand was held out in friendship.

Joe frowned, his attention still on Sandy who was shifting uncomfortably at his side. He reached out and shook the offered hand as the major continued, "General Savage said that you might be dropping in today."

"I’m sorry but do I know you?" Gallagher asked, his tone now showing a slight hint of annoyance.

The major smiled brightly and offered, "No...no... let my introduce myself. I’m Major Paul Sullivan, you might have heard of my father - General Sullivan. I believe that our fathers are good friends, what with the war and all." He let out a little bark of laughter at his own joke. "I’ve just been assigned to Archbury by General Savage. He said that you were a little short handed over there."

Gallagher’s face cleared and he nodded, the light dawning. "Major Sullivan, of course. Frank - General Savage did mention you when I spoke to him briefly this morning. Listen we’re just going to the local pub to wait for the General, would you like to join us?"

"Join us?" Sullivan asked looking about for another officer, totally ignoring Komanski as he did so.

"Yes," Gallagher said, failing to see the snub that was directed at his young lover. "Sandy er, Sergeant Komanski and I."

"Oh... the sergeant," Sullivan said laughing, looking Komanski right in the eye and continued. "I had the pleasure of meeting him on the way in, he, er, barged into some men from my own flight. Very clumsy some of these enlisted men."

"I don’t find him so," Gallagher retorted his tone somewhat cooler at the snub to his young friend; he was already beginning to regret his rash offer to the major.

"No sweat, sir," Komanski put in, barely restraining his anger at the other man’s sneering attitude to him. "I promised to check out the jeep, so if you’ll excuse me..." With that he saluted and, turning smartly, fled from the building.

"Didn’t even wait for you to return the salute," Major Sullivan said with a sad shake of his head.

"Sandy... Komanski is a good man, Major Sullivan. He’s also my top turret gunner and one of the best liked men in the camp, so I would suggest that you refrain from making any crass comments about enlisted men until you get to know them."

"Of course sir, I never meant..." Sullivan back-pedalled seeing that he had made a major slip in his estimation of the man who stood before him. While he felt uncontrollable anger at the sergeant who had just left, he was wise enough to know that he needed this colonel on his side if he was to get a good report that would be passed onto his father. And, he had to admit, Colonel Joe Gallagher was quite a handsome looking man. He smiled to himself hopefully.

Gallagher brushed his apology aside saying instead, "If you will excuse me, I’ll be back in a few minutes." Then he was gone, chasing after Komanski.

Joe blinked as he left the building and was blinded by the sunlight. He raised a hand to shield his eyes and just saw Komanski as he disappeared around the side of the building.

"Sandy," he called but either the younger man didn’t hear him or he chose to ignore Gallagher’s call. With a mutter of frustration he followed after his errant lover. He caught up with him just as Komanski was entering the motor pool.

Gallagher made a grab for his arm and pulled Komanski around. "What the hell was all that about?" he demanded, anger tingeing his voice. He didn’t like having to chase after Komanski, especially not in front of another officer.

Sandy frowned at the tone. "You looked like you were going to be pretty busy and I’ll only be in the way."

"In the way!" Joe repeated at a total loss to understand where Sandy’s attitude was coming from. "Why would you think that? We are supposed to be meeting Frank in," he glanced at his watch, "in an hour and a half..."

"Look Joe," Sandy began. "I don’t much like that stuck up major in there and I certainly don’t fancy sitting down with him and a pint, so why don’t I just be a good little sergeant and keep out of the way. It will be better for all concerned."

Joe stepped back in surprise. "You don’t like the major... is that what this is all about?" He waited for Sandy to answer but when it became apparent that he wasn’t going to, Gallagher sighed deeply, his disappointment showing clearly. "Alright, I’ll tell the major that the drink is off and we can arrange it for some other time... how’s that?" he offered.

Now Sandy felt like a child refusing to allow neighbouring kids over the garden fence to play. Hell what was he afraid of anyway? "No..." he finally said. "I guess if the major can put up drinking with an enlisted man, I can put up with drinking with an arsehole."

Gallagher let out a bark of laughter and slapped Komanski on the back. "An arse hole... My, you don’t mince your feelings, do you?"

Komanski looked up at the man before him and smiled, stating firmly, "I know exactly what my feelings are for some people." He allowed his eyes to say the words that he couldn’t. Gallagher licked at suddenly dry lips.

"OK, look." He shot a glance about just to make sure that they were not being watched and then leaned in closer. "One, two drinks with Major Sullivan, then when Frank turns up we’ll split back to the cottage for the rest of our leave. I promise you, the only arseholes you’ll be dealing with won’t have a thing to do with the major."

Komanski was unable to stay angry with Gallagher when he talked dirty and the colonel knew it. "You know, you don’t fight fair," he groused even as he melted under the look he received in return.

"Come on... I’ll even pay for the drinks."

Sandy let out a bark of laughter and began to stagger about saying loudly, "you’ll pay for the drinks, now I know I’m in trouble."

"Just get the car, Komanski." Joe ordered, "and I’ll meet you at the front steps."

"Yes sir." Sandy stood up straight and performed a perfect salute, waiting until it was returned correctly before he span smartly about and shot off to collect the jeep.

When Gallagher returned to the main building he found Sullivan waiting for him. "Komanski's just getting the jeep," he explained shortly.

"No sweat, sir," Sullivan said cordially but his eyes were hard as he looked in the direction that Komanski had gone. He had learned from his earlier blunder and seemed determined not to make the same mistake twice. Whatever bad blood he perceived there was between himself and Komanski he was now prepared to drop for the moment.

Komanski pulled up in the jeep and waited while the other two men climbed in. The trip to the pub was made in silence.

"I’ll get you a pint in, Sandy," Joe said as he got out of the vehicle. If Komanski had any intention of not joining them, then Gallagher had firmly put the boot in on that.

"Fine, sir," Sandy said, pulling a face but accepting his fate.

"You seem to be on quite good terms with your sergeant, sir," Sullivan ventured, still unsure of his footing where this matter was concerned.

"Like I said before, Sandy is one of the best and he works damn hard along with the rest of us to keep the 918th up to stretch. I would trust no one else in the top turret."

Sullivan just nodded and followed his commanding officer into the small, quaint English pub.

Komanski sat back and said very little as the other two men got into a discussion about their respective fathers. As he sat drinking the beer that Gallagher had dutifully bought him he looked across at the major and tried to decide just what it was that he didn’t like about the man, besides the fact that he had just claimed the spot of Komanski's enemy number one.

It suddenly hit him like a shower of cold water. The major was making the moves on Gallagher. It was nothing obvious or even anything that he could really put his finger on. It was more the way that Sullivan lingered over taking the offered cigarette - the way he leant forward to accept a light, letting his hands gently cup Gallagher’s, holding the match steady, the look and smile that he gave him in thanks.

It was little things but now that Komanski was looking for them, they stood out like a burning beacon and Sandy decided that he didn’t like it at all. Especially as Gallagher seemed to be totally unaware that he was responding to the gentle flirting.

"You’re quiet over there, Sandy," the colonel suddenly said, turning to look at the younger man. Komanski pulled a face, before he answered coldly.

"I’m just watching the show." He never took his eyes from the major’s and saw that his words hit home by the cold light reflected back towards him.

Sullivan must have accepted the underlying challenge that was tossed at him as he answered, effectively turning it so that it appeared to be Komanski who had the problem with him and not the other way round.

"You must be quite a... er... gunner to have both General Savage and Colonel Gallagher speak so highly of you"

"I do my job," Komanski retorted coolly.

"And he’s very good at it, too. There isn’t another man I would want at my side if the Piccadilly Lily was in trouble."

"The Piccadilly Lily," Sullivan stated. "That’s your plane, right, sir?"

"Please call me Joe," Gallagher corrected him with a smile. "And yes, I took her over from Frank, er, General Savage, after he was shot down." As he spoke he tossed Komanski a concerned look. The younger man still didn’t like to be reminded of the months when he had thought his lover dead.

"General Savage was saying that it might be a good idea if I was to sit as your co-pilot for a few trips. Just to get the feel of the 918th. He also told me that you recently lost your Air Exec. Major Cobb?"

Joe looked sad for a moment remembering his friend. "Yes, it was a bad flight. We lost a lot of good men that day." He reached out and took a deep swallow of his beer before he went on. "I thought that that might be Frank’s idea when he assigned you to us. He mentioned it when I spoke to him."

"So Major Sullivan will be your co-pilot for a while?" Sandy asked, just wanting to get his facts right. He hated the idea and could feel the tentacles of jealousy creeping through his gut.

"Looks that way and at least this way he’ll get a bird eye view of just how valuable you are in the top turret and see why both Frank and I value you."

Sullivan gave Komanski a long, measuring look before he added, "Oh, I think I already know how Sergeant Komanski makes himself valuable, Joe..."

Gallagher seemed blissfully unaware of the insult behind the words but Sandy felt them.

"How many missions have you flown, sir?" Sandy suddenly asked, this tone coming out harsher then he intended. He caught the frown that Joe threw his way but he chose to ignore it.

"Fifteen but only seven of those were full runs. I’ve had to turn back on three and had five aborted half way to target," Sullivan answered immediately.

"Those are the rough ones," Joe said. "I hate it when they pull us back with a belly load of bombs."

"Happens," Sullivan offered philosophically.

"So...." a voice behind them suddenly cut in, "you found each other I see."

The three men seated at the table turned to see General Savage approaching. As they made to stand he waved them down and offered, "Another round?"

After the drinks have been brought and placed in front of them, Savage took the spare seat next to Komanski and gave him a bright smile. "I thought that meeting was never going to end," He said by way of apology for his lateness.

"So you’re free for the rest of the weekend now?" Gallagher asked, his tone hopeful as he glanced at Komanski who was still brooding over his pint. Joe frowned. Something had upset Komanski but he had no idea what.

"Yep," Savage confirmed with a grin. "I see that you’ve both met Major Sullivan. Paul, here, has come to us very highly recommended. I thought that you could show him the ropes at Archbury, Sandy."

"Me?" Komanski asked in some surprise. "I don’t think the major would enjoy being shown about the camp by an enlisted man, sir," he shot back as Savage nodded, his anger coming to the fore.

"You know the camp better the anyone I know Sandy and it won’t hurt you to be a little bit more polite to a superior officer either," Savage warned gently, his gaze indicating Sullivan. Sandy’s outspokenness was all very well when the three of them were alone but in front of others, especially strangers, appearances had to be kept up. For all their sakes.

"If you’re making it an order, sir?" Sandy said, his tone indicating just what he thought of that but Savage chose to ignore the warning signs.

"If I have to, yes but I have to admit that I would be sorely disappointed if I felt that I had to make it an order," he replied quietly.

Sandy quickly looked down at his drink then, frustrated at the way both his lovers seemed to be taking the major’s side against him and annoyed that they couldn’t see his real character. Stubbing his cigarette out in the ashtray he stood, saying roughly, "I’ll do as you’ve ordered, sir. Now if you will excuse me...." Without waiting for permission, he dropped the jeep keys down in front of Gallagher and brushed past Savage, storming out of the pub.

Silence ruled for several minutes after Komanski's departure. Gallagher could see quite clearly that Savage was angry with the younger man and while he also felt annoyed by Sandy’s attitude he knew that Frank had been too heavy handed in his dealing with the younger man.

"So, my round, I think," Sullivan said politely into the uncomfortable silence, picking up the empty glasses and making his way to the bar. There was a bounce in his step as if he had just got what he wanted.

"Would you mind telling me what the hell’s wrong with Sandy this afternoon?" Savage demanded from Gallagher as soon as the young major was out of hearing.

"Well, I think Sullivan rubs him up the wrong way."

"Rubs him up the wrong way... What the hell is that suppose to mean?"

"The major might be the shinning boy right now, Frank but he does have a problem with enlisted men."

Savage leant back, still clearly annoyed. "Well Sandy is just going to have to get over his annoyance. We are in the middle of a war and if Sullivan can take some of the pressure off you over at Archbury then Komanski is just going to have to live with it."

"Right," Gallagher offered, "and we are going to have to live with a fuming Sandy. And you know he can hold a grudge for weeks, Frank," he reminded the older man with a slight smile.

"Here we are...." Sullivan placed the drinks down and smiling brightly he offered, "now where were we...."

* * *

Komanski walked along the road fuming. He was damned if he was going to show that stuck up major around Archbury. The man seemed intent on sucking up to both Savage and Gallagher and it made Sandy sick.

"Hey Sandy!" A voice hailed him. The young man looked around and saw Jenkins, top turret gunner for the Steaming New Yorker, coming towards him with a few others that he recognised from camp. "I thought you were away for the weekend."

"Nah... that got cancelled."

"Cancelled," Jenkins said, slinging an arm around Komanski's shoulder in friendly fashion. "Well, why don’t you come with us then. We’ve got tickets for a private club in town."

"A private club!" Komanski spluttered in surprise. These were not the types of men who attended private clubs.

Jenkins laughed. "It costs twenty dollars to get in and no-one under twenty-one is allowed. There’s this show... hot from London." He wiggled his eyebrows and Sandy realised just what type of club it was. He paused, considering Savage and Gallagher for a brief second then pushing them aside he wrapped his arm firmly about Jenkins’ waist and laughed.

"Why not...it sounds like fun."

* * *

Komanski opened one eye and quickly closed it again. He was in his own bed in the barracks at Archbury but he couldn’t remember getting there the night before. He did recall a certain blonde, who insisted on dancing on his table right in front of him and he could also clearly remember saving her as she did a swan dive into his lap. But after that things got a little hazy.

Feebly he lifted an arm and peered blearily at his watch. 11.17. Judging by the light coming in the window it had to be morning and the fact that he had been allowed to sleep in also indicated that it was either Sunday or Monday.

A groan reached his ears and opening his eyes again he realised, as he was apparently alone, that it must have been himself. The room swayed back and forth so he closed his eyes again, waiting for the sensation to fade before he attempting to move further. Somehow, he drifted back into sleep.

When he next opened his eyes he felt a little bit better. There were a few men now resting on their own bunks and another three were sitting at the table playing cards. "Drink," He croaked, hoping that one of his friends would take pity on him.

"Here, try this." Looking up he saw Peter Lawson leaning over him, holding a cup.

"Thanks, Pete," he managed to gasp.

"You guys sure must have had a good time last night," Lawson commented after watching Komanski try to pull the cover back over his head.

"I hate Jenkins," Sandy mumbled, then added, "Remind me to kill him next time I see him."

"He took you to that club of his, didn’t he?" Lawson said, his tone one of knowledge.

"He said it was a show."

Lawson laughed out loud and thumping Komanski on the shoulder he sympathised, "well it is a show of sorts but the drink there is a killer."

"Tell me about it," Sandy agreed fervently, pulling the covers back down. He couldn’t breathe properly underneath the rough blanket and was beginning to feel distinctly sick again.

Lawson winced at the paleness of his friend’s face. " Do you want me to go and get something from Doc Kaiser?" he offered.

"Lord no," Sandy yelped. "I’ll never hear the end of it if you do. Just bury me somewhere quiet once I’m gone."

Lawson laughed again and stood up. "Will do. Oh, by the way, the colonel was looking for you earlier. I told him you were, um, not feeling too good. He had a Major Sullivan in tow. He said you were to report to him as soon as you felt better."

Komanski opened an eye and asked, "Major Sullivan, fresh face, smiles a lot..."

"Yep that was him. Seemed to be in pretty tight with the colonel."

Sandy groaned. "Look don’t wait... just bury me now... huh."

Lawson laughed again then offered, "I won’t bury you until after you stop breathing and just in case there is a bucket by the bed. Now I’m going to eat."

At the mention of food Komanski paled even further and reached for the bucket. By the time he’d finished heaving his insides up the room was empty and he was left in peace.

* * *

By the next morning Komanski was feeling a lot better and waited in line for his breakfast.

"Komanski, my office as soon as you’ve finished."

Sandy looked around and saw Gallagher standing beside him. The colonel did not look too pleased and Komanski winced when he noticed that Sullivan was standing right behind him.

"Yes, sir," was all that Komanski could think to say. Gallagher looked him up on and down critically once more, then turned on his heel, Sullivan following behind him like a puppy.

"Man, you are in real shit now," Lawson said from behind him.

"No kidding," he shot back with feeling.

* * *

As Komanski entered the outer office he saw Major Harvey Stovall delving into a filing cabinet. "Hi, major," he said, coming to a stop behind him. "How things?"

Harvey looked up and smiled warmly at him. "For me, fine. For you... Well, let’s just say that little sheep that get themselves lost for a night and then return to base drunk are in for a rough ride. Especially as General Savage is in there with him."

Komanski groaned and considered backing out of the office but it was too late. Gallagher must have heard him and the door to his office swung open and he motioned for Komanski to enter.

"Well, it’s nice of you to join us, Sandy," Savage snapped as soon as the door had closed behind the sergeant.

"Frank," Komanski said, wincing at the sound of anger in the other’s voice.

"Where the hell did you get to? I nearly had the whole camp out looking for you," Gallagher said, just as angry as Savage but fighting not to show it.

"Jenkins talked me into taking in a show," Sandy explained.

"A show?" Savage snorted.

"Yes, I can imagine how much persuasion that took," Gallagher said sharply.

"I was on leave... and I got back to camp before curfew."

"I’m surprised you can remember making it back to camp. And for your information, you made it back to camp after the curfew. Well after. About five the next morning in fact."

"Christ, Joe you sound like my mother," Sandy said, moving over and slumping down in a chair.

"And what about the weekend we had planned?" Savage asked, pointedly looking from Sandy to Joe.

"Well you guys looked like you were pretty tied up in the pub and I didn’t fancy spending the entire evening listening to any more of Sullivan’s ‘my dad’s this and he knows that and the light shines out of officers butts....’"

"That’s enough," Savage snapped, coming to his feet, not prepared to listen to Sandy’s diatribe any longer. "My order still stands about you showing Major Sullivan the ropes. He’s here to help Gallagher and I expect you to at least be polite to him. Do I make myself clear?"

"Ropes, polite, arse lick... I can do that, sir," Komanski shot back also coming to his feet.

"What is your problem with the major, Komanski?" Gallagher asked at a total loss to understand the younger man’s attitude to Sullivan.

"I just don’t like the guy - he rubbed me up the wrong way as soon as we met and besides, I’ve met his sort before."

"His sort?" Savage asked, now taking his lead from Gallagher. "What exactly is his sort?"

"Look, Frank I didn’t expect you to understand but I just don’t trust the man. He’s friendly to your face and snide behind your back."

"You only just met the guy the day before yesterday, how can you make such snap judgements about him?" Savage demanded, not understanding Komanski at all. Usually the kid was pretty easy going but this major seemed to have pressed all his buttons.

"Didn’t you see what he was doing in the pub, Joe?" Sandy suddenly asked, throwing both men with his change of direction.

Gallagher frowned, thinking back and then shook his head. "What was he doing?"

"He was all but climbing onto your lap. Man, it was sick to watch the way he was sniffing around you."

"Sniffing," Joe repeated sharply, not liking Sandy’s crude words when directed at him. "The guy was just being friendly."

"Yeah, right and I know just how friendly he really wants to get..." Komanski trailed off, letting his words hang, only then realising just what he sounded like.

"You don’t like Major Sullivan because you think he has designs on Joe," Frank summed up, laugher barely hidden in his voice. "You’re jealous."

"The hell I am," Sandy shot back, moving over to confront Frank. "If Joe wants him, then he’s welcome but don’t ask me to put up for him."

The laugher was gone from Savage’s face as if Komanski's words had slapped it from him. "If what you say about his attitude towards enlisted men is true then I guess you can consider yourself save from his, er.. advances."

Komanski didn’t have an answer for him so he just threw him an sour look and retreated to the chair once more.

"Sandy," Joe began, coming out from behind his desk. "I don’t have any interest in Paul Sullivan. I think two men in my bed is more then enough. Even for me," he added with a slight smile. "But Frank is right. With Joe Cobb gone I need an air exec and Sullivan seems to be the best choice." He paused letting his words hang, knowing that his plea would not go unanswered by his young lover.

Komanski took a deep steadying breath, not liking the guilt he was feeling at the other’s words. "Alright," he finally conceded. "I’ll show him around but don’t ask me to like the guy."

"We’re not asking you to like him, Sandy, just be polite. And don’t cause waves," Savage added, seeing the light in the other man’s eyes.

"Sorry about slipping out on you to the other day," Komanski said, changing the subject, a blush slowly climbing up his features.

"No harm done but we did miss you at the cottage," Savage said, moving over to gently lift Komanski's face up so that he could look him in the eye. "It was kinda lonely without you."

Sandy licked his lips. "Well we still have the rest of today," he offered softly.

Before Savage could answer there was a loud knock at the door and Harvey Stovall entered. He paused for a brief moment, eyeing the three men cautiously. He was the only other man on the base who knew of the relationship between the three men though he suspected that Doc Kaiser had a very good idea what was going on. "Major Sullivan to see you, sir."

Komanski groaned loudly then smiled at the look that this earned him from the other two men.

"Show him in, Harv,." Gallagher ordered, moving back behind his desk.

Moments later Paul Sullivan was standing in front of Joe’s desk. He saluted briskly and waited for the reply from the two officers. Seeing Komanski sitting in the chair, he said, "I see that Sergeant Komanski has been found."

"I was never lost, Major." Komanski ventured standing up and moving towards the other man.

"Sergeant," Savage warned but Komanski ignored him.

"So have you been out to see the Piccadilly Lily yet?"

"No, Colonel Gallagher didn’t have time yesterday."

"Good, then I’ll show you her now. We have a mission tomorrow and if you’re still flying co-pilot..." Sandy looked towards Joe who nodded once. "Then you’d best get the feel for her now, sir. Come on."

"I actually came to talk to the general and Colonel Gallagher," Sullivan said, not quite sure of Komanski's change in attitude towards him.

"Fine, I’ll wait outside for you then." With that Sandy smiled sweetly at both his lovers and left the room, making sure the door was firmly closed behind him.

"How can I help you, Sullivan?" Gallagher asked, suddenly very aware of Komanski's words concerning the major’s attraction towards him and realising that he was uncomfortable with it.

"Well, it was nothing really important. I just wanted to invite both you and the General out for dinner... A local pub I found when I was out yesterday..."

"I’m afraid I can’t make it," Savage said, moving over to pick up his cap. "I’ve got to get back to Pinetree... I’ll catch up with you later Joe," he added.

Gallagher could see the smile in his eyes and wanted desperately to wipe the smug look from his face. How dare Frank abandon him to Sullivan? He turned back to the major, pointedly ignoring Savage as the older man leaned against the desk.

"I can’t either I’m afraid," he told the major. "I’m snowed under with paperwork that I really need to get finished and I think you really could do with seeing the Lily before the mission tomorrow," Gallagher explained.

Sullivan seemed genuinely disappointed but covered it well. "In that case, gentlemen, I’d better not keep Sergeant Komanski waiting."

After he had left Frank looked at Joe for several minutes before he spoke. "Well I can understand him wanting you... I know the feeling." He said the words quietly but they carried a whole wealth of meaning and it caused Gallagher to blush faintly.

Over the last few months of sleeping with Savage, Gallagher had got quite used to Frank’s passionate love making and had found himself captivated by the intense emotions that the General could arouse in him more then once. He licked at suddenly dry lips before he said, "I’ll grab up Sandy later and met you at the cottage."

"I should be there about six," Savage agreed with a smile, letting his eyes linger on the other man for a few more moments before he winked and left the office. Gallagher slumped back into his chair, sitting there for several seconds before he realised that he, too, was wearing a silly grin on his face in anticipation of the evening to come.

* * *

Neither Komanski nor Sullivan spoke as they drove out to the Piccadilly Lily’s stand but once Sandy pulled the jeep up as they reached the huge plane and got out, he said, "She is one of the best. And the colonel has a record second only to General Savage on successful missions."

"I had heard that Colonel Gallagher started out flying the er... Leper Colony."

"Yeah... the General gave him that plane to fly but when Frank, General Savage was shot down, Colonel Gallagher took over the command of the 918th and the Lily."

"I remember, General Savage was reported dead, wasn’t he?"

"Yes, he was a POW for several months before he escaped."

Sandy opened up the panel under the plane’s belly and, grabbing hold of the handles, he hauled himself inside.

As they made their way forward towards the cockpit, Sullivan suddenly put out an arm and halted Komanski. Sandy turned to look at the hand resting on his arm, then up at the major who smiled sweetly and said, "Let’s knock off the crap. You don’t like me, sergeant and quite frankly, I don’t like you..."

Komanski straightened and looked the other man directly in the eyes. "Well I’m in agreement with you so far, sir," he said insolently.

"So let’s cut the charade. I know what this plane looks like inside and I certainly don’t need a two-bit hood to show me any ropes, I know them all."

"Really, then can I ask exactly what we are doing out here then, sir?" Komanski asked, licking his lips as he waited for an answer.

"I know things about you, Komanski."

"Yes, you’ve said that before but frankly I don’t give a damn what you’ve heard or what you think," Sandy said sharply. This southern playboy didn’t bother him - he’d played with bigger bullies in the schoolyard.

"Things that could get you tossed out of the airforce and into jail."

Komanski sighed deeply and glanced at his watch. "Could you hurry this threat up a bit," he said mildly. "I’m getting hungry here and I’d like to go to lunch soon."

Sullivan was put out that Komanski wasn’t reacting quite as he expected. "I just want you to be aware that I am not the type of person you want to mess around with. Or get in my way." He let his words hang, the threat clear.

Sandy thought about them seriously for a few moments, then nodding wisely, he countered, "You know sir, you’re right. You are probably the one person I can honestly say I have no interest in messing about with." He smiled broadly then leaning slightly forward he winked and finished, "You’re just not my type, sir."

Before Sullivan could answer Komanski was away, slipping back and out of the lower hatch.

* * *

That night at the cottage Komanski was quiet and withdrawn. Both Savage and Gallagher noticed it but neither said a word - at times the war affected everyone and they had the right to brood in their own way.

The passion that night was soft and gentle. Sandy was eager to show his affection for his two lovers and as usual he was the centre of their affections, with their growing fondness for each other flowing over into the early hours.

The next morning found the three men standing outside the cottage door. Savage was standing by his own car and Gallagher was waiting by the jeep that Komanski and he had used.

"You will take care," Savage said to the two men that he was sending back off to war. It was an order, not a request and both men smiled.

"We will do our best, General," Gallagher said. "Just see if you can find us a few more targets to hit without too much flak."

Savage smiled at the jesting tone and offered, in his best command tone, "I will see what I can do."

The parting was sweet and the ride back to Archbury was made in silence until Gallagher suddenly said, "I have absolutely no interest in Sullivan."

Komanski was surprised by the sudden remark but nonetheless smiled, saying, "I gathered that from last night’s action."

Gallagher echoed his smile. "I just wanted you to know."

Komanski took one hand off the steering wheel and gently touched his lover’s arm. "I love you, too."

The words caused Gallagher to look up sharply and swallow hard. It was not very often that Komanski voiced his feelings and yet when he did it was said with a quiet conviction that warmed Gallagher’s heart.

* * *

The flight had been frighteningly routine. Flak had been encountered, fighters had flicked in and out of the group causing considerable damage and now the squadrons were slowly making their way home, the planes that much lighter now that the bombs had been dropped on target.

"Komanski," Gallagher suddenly called out, pulling the gunner from his position.

"Sir." Sandy slipped from the top turret, having just watched the German planes scurry away, scared off by the fighter escort that had finally appeared.

Sparks were flying up from the main board in front of the pilots. Without saying a word Sandy dived back to grab up the extinguisher and applied it to the board. Smoke rose and both the men sitting in the front seat began to cough.

Both Gallagher and Sullivan were fighting to just keep the plane’s nose up an steady as the Lily pulled against them, flying heavy on only three engines.

Suddenly a spurt of gunfire shot through the front windscreen. A German ME109 had managed to dodge the fighter escort and unleash its deadly firepower into the front of the plane.

Komanski threw himself to one side but gasped in horror as Gallagher cried out and arched up, before slumping back in his seat.

"Joe," he yelled, terror lacing through him. He reached out for him and felt for a pulse with shaking fingers, finding it with relief but the relief was short-lived as he realised that the colonel was bleeding heavily from the bullets that had caught him in the arm and side.

Its engines damaged, the Piccadilly Lily began to dive, Sullivan fighting bravely to pull her up but the heavy plane was unwilling to response.

Sandy thought fast on his feet and called up one of the waist gunners. In the mean time he hastily pulled Gallagher out of the pilot’s seat and slipped into it, grabbing the steering column and pulling back on it with all his might.

Slowly the Lily began to climb out of the spin and Sullivan finally managed to pull her up straight and steady although with only three engines it was still a bumpy ride.

Once it looked like had gained back control, Komanski twisted about in his seat and demanded. "How is he, Jack?"

Pullerman, the waist gunner, looked up and smiled. It was a small showing of his teeth but it did little to reassure his friend. "The arm wound is just a scratch but it’s the side one looks nasty," he said, keeping a firm hold of the emergency pressure bandage he was pushing against the wound.

"Engine two is going," Sullivan said tautly, his face etched with strain as he fought the loss of their second engine. "See what you can do, Komanski."

The sergeant didn’t answer but leant over and began to work on the board in front of him. He knew that Sullivan wasn’t asking him to attempt a repair on the two lost engines but wanted him to make sure that the other two continued on until they landed.

As the flight continued, Sullivan became more and more demanding of Komanski who was doing his best to keep the plane in the air., yet it never seemed enough for the other man.

"The radio’s not working properly," Sullivan snarled as soon as Komanski had finished working on the electrics.

"I’ll get right on it," Sandy replied.

"Damn it, sergeant," Sullivan swore as a third engine spluttered and died.

"We’re only a few miles from Archbury, sir," Komanski told him, glancing out the window and recognising the surrounding area.

"If I manage to land this thing it will be of no thanks to you," Sullivan snarled.

Komanski had no answer for the other man. He had done his best to keep the Lily in the air but the engines had just been too badly damaged for him to be able to do much. He shot a look over his shoulder towards his lover who was now lying deathly still just behind them, Pullerman still working over him.

"Make sure the landing gear’s down," Sullivan ordered, tossing Komanski a disgusted look.

Sandy hastened to do as ordered and winced when he noticed that the left one was stuck half up. He reached out and attempted to lower it again. Nothing happened. He made to rise but Sullivan ordered him back saying, "We will have to belly land... Ball gunner, we’re going in on her belly. Better get out of there now."

Even as he said spoke the plane dipped and they were coming about to land.

The landing was rough. They bumped along the ground and Komanski was tossed from his seat and slammed hard up against the side of the plane. The world darkened around him and then slowly came back into focus. The next few minutes were spent in pandemonium, as Gallagher was carefully lifted from the plane and rushed off with two other members of the crew who were also injured.

Komanski climbed slowly down from the plane, feeling shaky. He wanted nothing more then to follow his lover to the hospital but instead he was grabbed as soon as his feet touched the ground and thrown hard up against the plane. The next moment he was being punched in the stomach repeatedly until his attacker was pulled away by another one of the crew.

Komanski slipped to the ground, gasping for breath. Looking up he saw that a struggling Sullivan was being held back.

"You bastard, you nearly killed us... what the hell were you doing up there..." the major was yelling, almost spitting out the words in fury.

"What the hell is going on here?" a voice of command called out above the jumble. Squinting up Komanski saw with relief that Major Stovall had arrived on the scene.

Sullivan pulled himself free from the hands that were holding him and, pointing a finger at Komanski, he accused, "That man endangered us all up there."

"What?" Komanski gaped, at a complete loss to understand what was going on. He had done his job up there, had fought with all his skill to keep those engines working.

"He’s a damn saboteur... he wanted us all dead."

"And yet you managed to get the plane home," Harvey pointed out sharply, then, as Sullivan continued to rant, he snarled, "Get to briefing, all of you." Sullivan made to protest but Stovall wasn’t in the mood to listen further. "That was an order, Major."

The man in question threw the still dazed Komanski a look of pure hatred before he stormed away, slowly followed by the other members of the crew.

"Komanski.... Sandy." The younger man looked up and noticed that Harvey was now standing before him. "I asked if you were alright."

Sandy opened his mouth but nothing came out, until finally he asked, "Joe... he was... he was... hurt... bad I think."

"I know, Doc Kaiser’s got him in surgery. That’s why I came out here, I thought you might want a lift in."

"I’ve got to go to Interrogation," Sandy said, pushing himself away from the plane. The world tilted and he staggered.

Stovall was there instantly, reaching out to steady him. "Careful, son. Here lean on me... I’m taking you to the hospital... debriefing can wait."

"No... I need ... debriefing..."

"No. What you need is the hospital. That’s an order, airman."

Komanski paused, blinking foggily at the man before him, then slowly he nodded his head in agreement and allowed the older man to support him over to the waiting jeep.

* * *

General Savage stood looking down at the report in his hand., anger quietly simmering. He looked up at Harvey Stovall who stood patiently in front of him, his face a picture of blankness.

"This is a joke, right?" he said, barely controlling his famous temper.

Stovall moved over and slipped his coffee cup onto the desk, shaking his head. "No joke, though god knows I wish it was." Harvey looked tired. It had been a long few days with tension about the camp rising with every minute. The feeling between the enlisted men and officers had suddenly become strained and a tense silence now shadowed the base. Stovall was waiting for the explosion that must surely follow.

"Sullivan seriously expects us to believe that Komanski deserted his post against Joe’s wishes?"

Stovall nodded. "He is saying that if Sandy had remained in the top turret as Colonel Gallagher had ordered him to, then the German fighter would never had got close enough to shoot up the cockpit."

"Do you think Sandy disobeyed Joe’s orders?" the general asked, looking the older man right in the eye. Savage had always trusted the ground exec, even right from his own rocky start at Archbury, and Stovall’s opinion carried a lot of weight.

Stovall didn’t even have to think about it as he shook his head. "No, Sandy can be a pain in the arse when he wants to be but he would never disobey Joe. Not about something like that. If Sandy was in the cockpit it was because Joe needed him there." He paused before he added, "But Sullivan has had two days to tell anyone who will listen on the base that Sandy should be shot for disobeying orders and Komanski is sitting in that hospital bed refusing to comment on the situation."

"And Doc Kaiser is still refusing to allow us to question him?"

"Concussion. Kaiser said that his memory of the mission is jumbled and after hearing what Sullivan’s been saying he now thinks that he is responsible for Joe being shot."

"And Gallagher is still unconscious and not likely to wake up anytime soon."

"No... Kaiser is keeping him heavily sedated because of the wound in his side. You know what Joe’s like. Once he’s awake he wants to be on his feet." Stovall paused before continuing, "That’s why I thought it best to contact you about this. It’s getting out of hand. Sullivan has some supporters here and they’re now saying that Sandy should be brought up on charges. And the enlisted men are crying foul saying that it’s another sign of an officer throwing an enlisted man to the wolves because of his own lack of ability."

"Damn, what the hell is Sullivan playing at!" It was not a question. "I guess I’d better go and see Komanski, then Sullivan," Savage sighed. "Have him waiting for me here. Let’s see if he has the balls to repeat his lies to my face." With that he span about, stormed out of the office and headed across to the hospital.

* * *

Doc Kaiser approached Savage as he entered the hospital and gave him a wan smile.

"How’s Gallagher?" Savage asked, moving to stand beside the other man.

"His condition has not improved in the last forty minutes, General," Kaiser said about a small smile.

"Sorry," Frank apologised. "It’s been a long two days."

Kaiser smiled again, knowing exactly how the General felt. "Joe is progressing at an acceptable speed. I’ve taken him off the sedative and he should be waking up in the next five, six hours."

"And Komanski?"

Kaiser closed his eyes and rubbed at his tired face. "Sandy is stable... but he’s not taking Joe’s injury very well."

"Sullivan." Frank didn’t need to know that the other man’s accusation would have reached the injured man by now.

"He’s not sure what happened up there, General and it’s eating at him - doing more damage than a German bullet ever could. His brain is muddled - which is not a surprise after the bang he took to the head. The memory might come back to him in the next few days but alternatively he might never remember."

"What about Joe, will he remember?"

Kaiser again rubbed at his tired eyes. "He might but it’s difficult to say. Both suffered injury, shock would have set in... The human mind is a very complicated machine and it reacts differently. Joe could wake up later on tonight and clear this whole matter up or he could be just as much in the dark as Komanski."

Savage didn’t look too happy with the information that the doctor had supplied. "Can I see Komanski?" he asked.

Kaiser looked slightly ill at ease before saying, "Alright but don’t push him on this, General, he..." he paused looking for the right words, "he’s near the edge. That boy is carrying a lot of guilt about at the moment. I want him to put some distance between what happened before he tries to tackle it. He’s in the side ward, second door on the right."

Frank reached out and rested his hand upon the doctor’s shoulder. "He didn’t do it, Doc. That’s one thing I do know."

Kaiser watched the tall handsome man as he walked towards the small side ward that held Komanski then turned to make his way back to his own office, shaking his head slowly.

When Savage entered he saw that Sandy was alone, sitting by the one window looking out over the base. He turned at the sound and then stood up when he saw that it was Savage. He raised his hand in a salute but Frank waved it aside saying, "as you were."

Savage had not seen his lover since the before the mission as he had been stuck at Pinetree and he was distressed by what he saw. He noted the large bandage that covered the top of his head and the bruises under his eyes that indicated a lack of sleep and his face was etched with worry and guilt that tore at Frank’s own heart. "Sandy," he said, moving over to sit on the bed nearest to Komanski.

"Sir." Komanski replied woodenly, refusing to meet the older man’s gaze.

"How are you feeling?" Savage’s voice was gentle, seeing all to clearly that, just as Kaiser had said, Sandy was close to the edge.

Komanski looked out of the window, his face twisting up in impotent rage and unshed tears of frustration. "Better then Colonel Gallagher sir."

"Doc Kaiser said that Joe is going to be fine. He’ll need a few weeks to recover but then he’ll be back at his desk in full swing."

"Yes sir, I know, he said the same to me but...." He tore his eyes away from the scene outside the window. "If I had been doing my duty, General, then that German wouldn’t have been able to shoot up the cockpit and Joe..." His voice caught but he pushed his weakness away and forced the words out, "then Joe would not have been hurt."

"So you’ve heard what Sullivan is saying." It was not a question. Both men knew that. Sandy just looked out the window again, so Savage continued, his voice rough. "Damn you Komanski, you don’t remember what went on up there. The least you could do is wait until Joe wakes up and ask him instead of just giving up and accepting Sullivan’s lies."

Sandy looked up at him, anger flaring in his own eyes as he snapped, "Don’t you think I want that? Don’t you think that I want Joe to wake up and say that everything is fine? I want that more then anything but we both know that even if I did disobey his order he’s going to say that I didn’t..." He thumped his chest with his hand hard as he continued, "I can’t remember what happened up there Frank, I could have endangered Joe’s life. Hell, I could have endangered the whole crew. How can I be trusted?" He began to turn away again.

Savage reached over and grabbed his arm, pulling Komanski roughly back to face him. "I know you, Sandy... I’ve flown with you and I know that you would never desert your post, no matter when the situation. If you left that top turret during that flight is was because Joe ordered you to."

Sandy wanted to argue, wanted to let his guilt out, push it away from the tearing pain in his chest. Instead he looked into Savage’s face and saw the love that this man had for him, felt it wash over him like a gentle, warm breeze. He closed his eyes, silently licking his lips. He felt safe, as if Frank had just caught him while he was falling from a great height. He swallowed and when he felt Savage gently pull him in closer he went willing, burying his head in the other man’s shoulder.

Savage tightened his grip and held on for several long minutes until Komanski had composed himself again. When Sandy felt able to he slowly drew away saying, "What happens now?" He no longer carried the looked of fear. Now there was just acceptance of Frank’s trust in him and the worry for his injured lover.

"Now I go and have a chat with Major Sullivan and find out exactly what his story is. Then we wait until Joe wakes up and get his version."

"Doc said it could be a few hours until Joe is able to talk." Sandy moved further away and looked out of the window again as though seeking answers from outside.

Frank nodded, accepting Sandy’s inability to remain still, then added, "but in the mean time I am having some food sent in and you are going to eat it... and then get some proper rest. I’ll ask the doc to give you something to help you sleep, do you understand?"

Sandy looked down before he nodded slowly saying, "if it’s an order sir."

Savage gave Komanski a hard look before he saw the lighting of the other’s eyes and he felt a smile tug at his own lips as he firmly stated, "Of course it’s an order." Then he got serious again as he added, "I’m sorry, Sandy but when Joe does wake up you won’t be allowed to see him until after his statement is taken."

Komanski looked slightly taken aback at his words but then he nodded, understanding the reasoning behind the action. If he was to see Joe before his debriefing then Sandy could be accused of interfering with the process. "Doc Kaiser is going to release me back to barracks this afternoon. I’ll wait there until you send for me."

Savage nodded. That was for the best. Knowing that there was nothing else he could do, he gently reached out a hand and rested a finger on Sandy’s lips, the action saying more then words ever could.

Then General Savage turned and was gone.

* * *

Major Paul Sullivan paced nervously about the small office waiting for General Savage to return. Every so often he would glance at Harvey Stovall but the older man was busy working on some report and didn’t attempt to engage him in conversation.

Suddenly the door burst open and Savage entered at a fast pace. He said nothing to either man but headed straight into Colonel Gallagher’s office.

Major Stovall waited a few moments then, rising, he entered the other office, firmly closing the door behind him.

"Well?" Savage asked, shrugging off his coat and pulling out his cigarettes.

"The report has just come back on the Piccadilly Lily. It makes for some interesting reading."

Frank threw Harvey an annoyed look. "Just give me the highlights, Harv."

Harvey opened the folder in front of him and gave it another glance over. "The cockpit was the most seriously damaged area of the plane. The ME109 did a fair amount of damage but Sergeant Bickerman said that there must have been an electrical fire before the attack as the panel in front of both pilots had suffered major burnout and there was a spent fire extinguisher on the floor."

"Instrument damage?" Savage asked, lighting up a cigarette and moving to sit in Gallagher’s chair. He pushed the thought away that only a few long months ago it had been his chair and his desk.

"Certainly... The plane was barely flying on two engines when she landed but Bickerman says that the plane would have been blind before that. Most of the front panel was gone, so you have to admit that Sullivan did a hell of a job landing that plane."

"So is Bickerman saying that both pilots would have been needed to keep the plane steady?"

Stovall, knowing what Savage was thinking, replied, "Well, he can’t say for sure but the damage to the front panel would have necessitated both pilots remaining in their position in case of another development - like an engine going out. You know yourself how hard it is to control a fort without all the engines."

"So Joe could have called on Sandy to put the fire out."

"But," Harvey put in, "he didn’t do it over the radio. None of the others heard the order calling him out of the turret."

"Yes but Sandy’s a good tech sergeant, he would have seen or smelt the fire and Joe could have just yelled for him. I remember that Sandy had a second sense where the Lilly was concerned and he was frequently in the cockpit sorting out a problem before I even knew there was one."

Stovall sighed. "Unfortunately, Pinetree will be looking for facts concerning the incident and not testimonies of how good a technical sergeant Komanski is."

Savage allowed his mind to wander for a moment as he tried to pace out what could have happened in that cockpit. He had flown more than a few missions himself and was fully aware of the problems that could occur whilst in the pilot’s seat. Sighing, he pushed his chair back. "OK, let see what Sullivan has to say," he decided.

Harvey nodded and, saluting smartly, headed out of the room. A few moments later Sullivan marched in and saluted. Savage acknowledged it then offered, "Why don’t you take a seat, Major, we could be here for some time."

"Sir," Sullivan acknowledged before taking the offered seat. He got himself comfortable then looked expectantly back at the senior officer.

"So," Savage began, "why don’t you tell me exactly what happened up there during the last mission."

Sullivan looked down at his clasped hands for a few brief seconds while he gathered himself, then he began. "The mission was fairly straight forward but we did get slammed quite hard by flak as we left the target area. One of the engines began to flutter and the colonel gave the order to turn it off. Komanski appeared out of his top turret and began to tell Gallagher that the second engine was going to run hot if he didn’t shut it down as well. The colonel was not too impressed with Sergeant Komanski so he told him to return to his position."

Sullivan paused and glanced up trying to gauge how his story was being accepted. Reading nothing on the general’s face he continued, "Komanski kept coming out of his turret and offering advice. The last time, just before the colonel was shot, Gallagher lost his temper and ordered the sergeant back to his position. Komanski refused." He stopped and looked expectantly up at General Savage.

Frank let the silence ride for a few moments before asking, "Did Sergeant Komanski give any reason as to why he didn’t want to return to his position?"

Sullivan slowly shook his head, his actions looking almost baffled as he explained, "I’m not too sure, sir. You see, I was concentrating on trying to keep the plane level as we had lost most of the instrument panel in front of us. I just heard Colonel Gallagher order Komanski back to his turret and the sergeant refusing. Then the ME-109 hit and Komanski was needed to assist me with flying the plane."

"And you maintain that if Sergeant Komanski had been in his position then the 109 would not have been able to strafe the cockpit."

"Absolutely, sir."

"How long before the ME-109 attacked did the front panel blow?" Savage asked, keeping his voice a neutral as possible.

Sullivan looked slightly confused, then it cleared as he answered, "not long... I mean, we had suffered damage over the target but the panel held until we were heading home... then it just blew."

"And both Colonel Gallagher and yourself were needed to keep the plane level?"

"Yes, Piccadilly Lily wanted to go into a dive but we managed to guide her back." Sullivan sounded quite pleased with his efforts to save the plane and he was totally unprepared for Savage’s next question.

"So who put out the fire in the cockpit, Major?"

"Excuse me, sir?" Sullivan asked, looking distressed for the first time.

"The fire, Major. You said the front panel blew and both the colonel and yourself were busy keeping the Lily flying, so who used the fire extinguisher to put out the flames?"

"Well," Sullivan floundered, "when I said blew I didn’t mean that she erupted in fire, I mean she just..." He spluttered looking for a way to explain what he meant but even as he frantically thought, he could see that he had blown a hole in his own version of events as Savage finished quietly.

"There was a spent fire extinguisher in the cockpit, so if neither the colonel nor yourself used it, then it must have been Sergeant Komanski, because in Pullerman’s report he states quite clearly that there was no fire in the cockpit when he got there."

"Sir... I don’t, I mean... yes, Komanski may have helped put out the fire but that would have been while we were over the target," Sullivan stated firmly but while his voice was firm, his eyes were refusing to meet the general’s.

Savage leant back in his chair and let several minutes go by, just glaring at Sullivan. Within half a minute the man started to twitch and by the time Savage next spoke he was sweating. The general’s next words were like the bell toll of doom for Sullivan.

"Major, I find it very hard to believe that the events you describe actually happened, as you say they did."

Sullivan jerked up in protest but Savage cut him off sharply. "I will have my say..." This effectively shut the major up as Frank continued, "Sergeant Komanski has an exemplary record and is considered one of the best, if not the best technical sergeant on this base. I do not believe that Komanski would just leave his position without there being a very good reason. I also believe that Colonel Gallagher called him into the cockpit when the front panel exploded and it was Komanski who used the fire extinguisher to put the fire out. Then the ME-109 attacked and he didn’t have time to return to his position."

Sullivan was looking straight ahead now, refusing to meet Savage’s angry stare. "That is your opinion, sir."

"Yes it is and, Major, my opinion does carry some weight at Pinetree, not to mention that fact that Colonel Gallagher should regain consciousness in the next few hours. And I very much doubt he will substantiate your version of events."

Sullivan licked at suddenly dry lips and threw Savage a panicked look. For some reason he had never considered that Gallagher might survive, his wounds had looked bad and he had lost considerable blood. He had seen men die from less before. He thought frantically for a few moments before finally saying, "Sir, I think there is something else you should know about Sergeant Komanski. Something that I think will make you change your attitude."

Savage took a steadying breath, forcing his anger back so that he could deal with this man calmly. He had no idea why Major Sullivan hated his lover but he could see it rising in the man’s eyes with an intensity that gave Frank reason to pause, as the other man spat out,

"I have reason to believe that Sergeant Komanski is a homosexual."

Savage was stunned. Whatever else he had expected Sullivan to say, that was not it. "I beg your pardon?" He asked, unable to prevent himself.

Sullivan took courage from the shocked expression on the general’s face and hurried on. "I believe that Komanski is a queer, sir."

Savage found himself floundering but managed to ask, "What evidence do you have to support such a claim?"

The question threw Sullivan for a moment as he had expected the general to be disgusted by his announcement but the man seemed to be taking it in his stride. Again Sullivan swallowed as he began, "There was a man... we were stationed together when we first arrived in England. Well he was posted to Archbury about a year ago..." with a sad look he finished, "he was shot down about two months after he arrived. But," he added, his voice turning as cold as he eyes, "he wrote to me and told me that a Sergeant Komanski had made... made advances towards him that upset him greatly."

"Who was this man? And do you still have the letter?" Savage was now back in control and fighting the rising anger again, this time tinged with jealousy. Just over a year ago would have been when the affair between he and Komanski had started and he was certain that Sandy had not been chasing after any other man at the time.

"I would rather not say, sir," Sullivan tried but one searing glance from Savage had him saying, "Major Cohen, sir. He was... was only twenty, sir and I feel that Komanski took advantage of his young age to seduce him."

"Seduce him!" Savage exclaimed, his face now almost red with anger. "I strongly suggest that you reconsider taking this pathway to discredit Sergeant Komanski, Sullivan," Frank snapped not believing the other’s words for a moment but knowing what damage could be done to his young lover if even a hint of it got out. "Mud sticks and if you go about accusing Komanski of being homosexual, then you had better be prepared to face the fact that some might think that you might be one as well..."

Seeing the reaction his words got, Savage suddenly realised why the major had it in for Komanski. There may very well have been a spurned lover in the past and for some reason Sullivan had got it into his head that Komanski was the reason for the failed affair, yet at the same time Savage knew for certain that he had been Sandy’s first male lover. Now knowing what he was dealing he stated, "Major Sullivan, I strongly suggest that you go away and think about what you are saying and, remember, your family name has far more to lose than Sergeant Komanski if you persist in dragging all this out into public."

"But sir..." Sullivan began but he was cut off sharply by Savage.

"I will get Colonel Gallagher’s statement when he wakes. If his version is different from yours then I suggest that you forget about making up wild stories about Komanski being queer as your actions will have shown you to be a liar, very untrustworthy and appearing to have a malicious intent to destroy Sergeant Komanski's reputation. Now get out of here. You are confined to quarters until further notice."

Whatever else Sullivan had been about to say stilled in his throat at the general’s words and he stood smartly, saluted and walked steadily from the room.

Savage leant back in the chair and lit another cigarette, thinking about the conversation and what could Komanski have possibly done to make the other man hate him so.

* * *

Frank Savage opened the door that lead into Colonel Gallagher’s hospital room and paused on the threshold. He looked over at his lover and wondered at the pain that clenched at his gut. When had this man come to mean so much to him? He entered and moved aside to allow Harvey Stovall to enter behind him.

Stovall moved over to one side and stood silently in the corner. He knew of the relationship between Savage, Gallagher and Komanski and while he did not fully understand it he was quite prepared to agree that the war was making life too precious to just ignore their feelings.

Gallagher, hearing the door open, slowly opened his eyes and looked towards the door. Seeing Savage and Stovall he smiled weakly and said, his voice rough, "General, Harvey?" His voice was dry and he coughed weakly before wincing at the tug of pain this resulted in.

Savage smiled and moved further into the room. Gallagher had been awake for more than an hour now and looked as if he was ready to fall asleep again. Kaiser had refused to allow Frank to speak to Joe until he had finished checking the injured man thoroughly. He had finally left the sickroom, allowing Savage entry only after extracting a promise that he wouldn’t stay more than a few minutes as Joe was still weak and needed to rest.

"How are you feeling?" Frank asked as he pulled up a chair and sat down, never taking his eyes from those of his lover. The man looked ill - tired and worried. He took the cup that rested beside the bed and held the straw for Joe to drink. Once that was done Frank placed it back and watched his lover as he formed his words.

"Sandy?" Joe asked, "How is he?"

Frank sat back, his smile growing wider. As always, the familiar first question. "He’s fine... the doc is keeping him in for a few days while his head heals but you know Sandy... he’s already tried to escape twice," he finished, noting the absolute relief in the other’s face as Joe swallowed hard.

"They acted weird every time I asked and he’s usually conned his way next to my bed by now," Gallagher said by way of explanation. "I thought..." he stopped unable to verbalise the fear that had eaten at his soul when he had woken and found his young lover absent.

Reaching out Frank gently stroked two fingers down Joe’s handsome face saying, "I’m sorry, I should have thought but I couldn’t allow Sandy to sit with you."

"Not allow!" Joe repeated, concerned and confused. "What’s happened?"

Savage took pity on Gallagher and moving closer he offered, "Sullivan has put in a very damning report on Sandy."

"How damning?" Joe was suddenly looking sharp and clear. The threat to his lover was not something he was going to let slip while he recovered from his injury. Komanski meant too much to him.

"He is saying that Sandy left the top turret against your orders and when you told him to return he refused." Savage paused then asked, "Can you remember what happened in the cockpit before you were shot?"

Joe looked tired and worn and Frank would have given anything to not be the one adding to his already hefty burden. Gallagher frowned as he thought back then said slowly, "I can remember... the panel... it exploded... and the Lily dipped and we, Sullivan and I had to pull her back...I called..." His face cleared as he remembered, "I called Sandy down to put the fire out and see what he could do about the instruments. We were already one engine down and the others were in pretty bad shape."

"So he came out of the top turret on your instruction?" Savage was very careful how he phrased the question and he at no time attempted to influence Gallagher’s opinion.

Joe closed his eyes and gathered up his strength. He was desperately worried for his lover but one thing he was certain of was that at no time had Komanski disobeyed his order. He smiled as he remembered their first few months when the young sergeant had done his best to rub the colonel up the wrong way. But that was then and this was now. "Yes, I ordered him into the cockpit and the attack came out of the blue... No-one had time to react..." He lay back and closed his eyes, the world had suddenly started to sway and he felt slightly sick.

Savage, seeing the colour leach out of his lover’s face, reached over and gently rested a hand on Joe’s. "Look, you try to get some rest now and I’ll have another word with Sullivan and sort this whole matter out..." He paused and shot Stovall a quick look. Discretely, the major turned to look very closely at a small painting that someone had thoughtfully placed on the wall. Savage dove in and gently rested his warm lips on those of his lover whispering, "love you."

Then Savage turned and walked out the room, a general once more. Stovall followed him, wondering what the other man had said to Gallagher to put such colour and light into his features. The man looked as if he had just been given the world.

* * *

Sullivan knew that he was in trouble. Serious trouble. He had blown the whole plan to get Komanski court-martialled and wondered for the hundredth time what had possessed him to lie, especially when he should have known that there was a chance that Gallagher would recover to counter his accusation.

He had not consciously started out to destroy Komanski but after his first meeting with the handsome younger man he had felt an intense anger grow and grow towards him. Over the days that had followed, along with his memories of Jeff Cohen and their short time together, the passion to hurt the sergeant had grown, becoming a demented, fever dream. He thought he had been given the perfect opportunity to ruin the man he held responsible for destroying his life but it had not turned out that way. Instead it was all starting to fall apart and he could clearly see that Komanski was going to get off scot free and it would be Sullivan himself who would bear the consequences of his lies.

He bit nervously on his fingernail and thought about his father’s reaction. The bastard was sure to disinherit him after the disgrace this would bring down on the family now.

He closed his eyes as he pictured his last encounter with Jeff Cohen. How he had loved the man, adored the very ground he walked on. His good, clean looks, his willing smile. When Jeff had been transferred to Archbury, away from him, he had waited for a letter from his lover but none had come. After many phone calls and finally a threat, Jeff had agreed to see him, only to tell him that it was all over between them and that Jeff had found a new lover, one who gave him everything that Sullivan could not. Jeff had rubbed salt into the wound by telling him that his new love was not as possessive as Sullivan had been.

Slowly, Sullivan’s hand tightened around the gun that he had been cleaning before he had stop to consider his situation.

There was something going on between the General and Komanski, of that he was sure and the way that Gallagher had looked at the sergeant gave Sullivan another pause for thought. The man had totally ignored Sullivan’s own careful advances, even though he had got the strong impression that Gallagher was not opposed to the idea.

Slowly he realised that he was a fool. He had tired to discredit Komanski to his own lover. Or lovers. It all fell into place suddenly, the friendship between the three men of such disparate ranks. The way Savage and Gallagher defended the sergeant. He laughed out loud bitterly as he wondered how many men the whore was sleeping with. Komanski was obviously turning their heads just as he had Cohen’s. He was using them to ensure his position. Sullivan felt a snarl curl across his lips. Komanski was more dangerous then the Germans ever could be - the man used other men and then tossed them aside once their usefulness had finished, just as he had Cohen, who it appeared was only the first step up the ladder towards the higher goal of Gallagher and Savage.

Komanski was a monster preying on the weakness of other men. Sullivan knew now that Cohen had not really had a chance against Komanski's charm. In his own mind Sullivan was at last able to justify Jeff’s harsh words to him at their last meeting.

He finished re-mantling the gun, knowing what he had to do. Cohen had died believing that the piece of scum loved him. Had thought that he had found his ultimate partner in life. And what had Komanski done? He had leapt into Savage’s bed even before Jeff’s corpse was cold and when he had thought Savage dead he had smoothly moved onto Colonel Gallagher.

Standing he calmly put his jacket on and slipped the loaded gun into his pocket. Straightening his shoulders, he looked about the room one last time and then left, heading towards the hospital where he knew Komanski was being kept for observation.

* * *

Komanski was feeling tired and annoyed. Tired because his head hurt and annoyed because he was still being denied access to Gallagher. He pushed up from the bed and wandered over towards the window. He was furious with Savage for confining him to quarters while the matter with Sullivan was sorted out.

Frank had slipped in a few moments ago to tell him that Gallagher was awake and that he had spoken to him and that Joe had confirmed that he had in fact called Sandy to the cockpit to put out the fire from the control panel. Komanski would soon be free again and able to visit his injured lover.

The door opened behind him and he turned around, expecting to see the young nurse on duty but instead Major Sullivan stood before him. The man’s face was pale, his eyes reddened, with a frantic look in them that worried Komanski almost more than the gun pointing directly at him.

"Don’t make a sound, otherwise I’ll shoot you dead." The words were a snarl.

"What do you want, Sullivan?" Komanski demanded, gauging the man’s mental state and finding it lacking.

The other man ignored Sandy’s words. Instead he asked, "How do you do it? How do you get all those men crawling after you... sniffing about you like dogs in heat?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Komanski growled, his own anger making him forget his dangerous situation as he started forward, only to be halted abruptly when a bullet entered the wall just above his left ear. It stopped him cold.

"I said don’t move. I will kill you." There was a gleam in Sullivan’s eyes that told Komanski he was telling the truth. Sandy swallowed hard and held out his hands, showing clearly that he was unarmed.

"What the hell have you got against me?" he demanded, fear shadowing his voice.

Before Sullivan could answer there was a loud knocking at the door and Komanski realised that the major must have locked the door when he entered as whoever it was outside was not able to get in.

Sullivan spun about and sent a shot through the wooden door. There was a muffled cry then the sound of a body falling and Sullivan yelled, "Just leave us alone. I will shot anyone who attempts to open that door." Then turning back to Komanski he ordered, "Draw those curtains and move towards the bed.... Slowly." As Sandy did as ordered, Sullivan turned on the light and moved so that he could keep his gun on Komanski whilst also keeping out of line of both the door and the window.

"Why are you doing this?" Komanski pleaded. "You are going to get yourself killed," he said, his voice showing his frustration.

"You took away the only man that I loved," Sullivan spat out, his hand shaking as he held the gun. "I loved him and you stole him from me." Sullivan was ranting but the his eyes cleared for a moment as he demanded, "Tell me, how long after his death did you crawl into Savage’s bed?"

"What the hell are you...?" the gun fired again, this time spinning Komanski around as a bullet tore into his upper arm. He cried out and was pitched backwards to land heavily on the bed.

"Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about, you little bastard," snarled the tormented man. "Jeff Cohen.... Do you even remember him? You stole him from me and then you just forgot about him when he died. I didn’t. I couldn’t just forget about him. When I found out he had died, I cried - for days, weeks. My world was finished."

"Sullivan?" Came the voice of General Savage from behind the closed door. "Come out, I guarantee that no harm will come to you. You know there is no escape."

"Escape," Sullivan retorted with a wild laugh. "I don’t want to escape..." he snarled, "I want to finish this. I want Komanski to realise just what he did when he tore Jeff away from me."

Outside the door, General Savage shot Stovall and Doc Kaiser a sharp look. He had been siting in Gallagher’s office waiting for the MP’s to return with Sullivan when he had been called to the hospital. Kaiser had told him that Sullivan had been seen entering Komanski's room and that, the door was locked and when an orderly had tired tried to gain access, he had been shot through the door. Fortunately it was only a superficial injury but Savage wasn’t about to take any more chances. He immediately ordered that the area be cleared, so that there were just the three of them.

Another shot had since been fired and Savage wasn’t sure if Komanski was alive or dead. "Harvey," Frank said, moving back towards the older man who was looking very concerned. "Get the MPs to set up a perimeter around the hospital and make sure the window to that room is covered but no one... no-one is to fire a shot without my direct order."

"Sir," Stovall acknowledged, then he was gone.

"Is Komanski alive?" Savage demanded turning back to the closed door and the room where his lover was.

"I’m..." Sandy began to answer, then fell silent as the gun swung in his direction again.

"How much do you love this man, General? What are you prepared to do to save his life?" Sullivan suddenly asked of the man waiting outside.

Savage closed his eyes and felt his nails bite into his clenched hand as he answered, ignoring the doctor whom still stood close by. "He is my life." Frank was not going to take the chance that Sullivan might kill Komanski if he lied so he told the truth.

"Your life," Sullivan spat out. "Your life... you bastard... when I was in your office earlier on you must have been laughing at me. Oh so silly Major Sullivan telling me that my lover is queer..."

"I wasn’t laughing at you, Sullivan," Frank shot back, desperately frightened for Komanski's safety. "I was trying to get to the bottom of the accusation. I wanted and still do want to know why you lied, why you hate Sandy so much?" Savage posed the question as much to keep the other man talking as to discover the reason behind his madness.

"Jeff Cohen. That’s why, General Savage. Komanski destroyed our love, made him think that he wanted him instead of me..." Sullivan finished with a sob, then his voice firmed as he continued, "but he won’t do that to anyone else... I can guarantee that."

"I was never Cohen’s lover," Sandy suddenly spoke up, as he recalled the good looking young man that Sullivan claimed to have loved. He lay sprawled across the bed, one hand clutching at his bleeding arm. "We were friends, that’s all. He was assigned to my flight. Sure I was asked to keep an eye out for him but we were... I mean... I never..."

"Don’t you lie to me... Just don’t you lie to me," Sullivan ranted moving towards Komanski and forcing the gun directly into his face, his eyes wild and smouldering with rage. "He wrote to me, told me it was all over because he had found someone else to love... he told me your name..."

Sandy shut up and closed his eyes, unable to look down the barrel of the gun that was going to kill him. "I wasn’t his lover," he grated out from behind clenched teeth. If he was going to die it was not going to be with a lie on his lips.

Sullivan reached out and pressed one hand firmly on Komanski's chest, pushing him even further down on the bed, resting his knee beside the down man, it gave him the high he need to push the weapon into Komanski neck, jabbering it painfully into the soft flesh as he repeated.

"He told me it was you."

"He was lying then," Komanski stated, gasping at the pain from the attack and from his profusely bleeding wound. He saw that he had Sullivan’s attention and hurried on. "Jeff told me he was having problems with a possessive boyfriend... I told him to just write back and say that he had found someone else... I didn’t know that he wrote back saying it was me. He never said. Hell, I didn’t even know if he had written at all because he died a short while later..."

"You’re lying," Sullivan snarled again, jabbing the gun into Komanski's neck with each word.

"No I am not," Sandy snarled back. He had faced death too many times to suffer well under the strain of it again. "I have no reason to lie. I was already in a relationship with Frank - had been for a couple of months. That’s how we got talking... Jeff and I."

"I’m going to kill you... Jeff would not lie to me... he loved me... He... He..." Sullivan stopped suddenly. He looked down at the man under his hands and saw only fear reflected back in the other’s eyes. He knew then that Komanski was telling the truth. "I loved him," he stated again as if that was the only answer necessary for his actions. "He shouldn’t have left me. We were going to beat this war... damn him... he promised."

Komanski felt the pressure across his chest ease and he pulled in much needed air. Glancing up he saw the shattered look that was now filling Sullivan’s face. He knew what it was like to know that a lover was dead for he had felt the same way when news of Savage’s supposed death had reached him. He had wanted to destroy everything and everyone in his path. To rage against the unfairness of it all. Had made a very good attempt at self-destruction and had only been saved when Gallagher had stepped in and refused to allow him to die from self-pity.

"This war," he began slowly, carefully talking about a bruised throat. "It makes liars of us all where our promises are concerned." He winced as Sullivan turned demented eyes on him once more and wished that he had kept his mouth shut as the gun was still resting against his neck.

Sullivan swallowed hard, as sanity slowly returned. He glanced at the locked door and knew what awaited him outside, then looked down at the man holding still under him and saw compassion. It hurt to know that this man, the man he was prepared to kill, was the only one who seemed to understand what it was like to lose someone you really loved to this damn war.

Slowly Sullivan raised the gun and Komanski tightly shut his eyes when he saw the determination in the other man’s eyes. He was going to shoot, it was written plainly across his face. And Sandy didn’t want to see his end coming.

The sound of one lone shot echoed and ratcheted about the hospital. It tore the very fabric of time, freezing the men who were listening frantically outside the door until, with a cry of despair, Savage threw his weight against the door, not caring if Sullivan was waiting in there with a loaded gun to shoot him or not. All he knew was that Komanski was dead. The sound had been too final.

The door gave way and Savage burst into the room. He took the scene in at a glance and saw Komanski and Sullivan laying on the best. Both were still. Frank reached over and pulled Sullivan forcibly from the body of his lover and grabbed Komanski up in a bone-crushing hug, crying as he did so. "No... no... sweet God no..." A soft groan reached his ears and he pulled back sharply.

Komanski groaned again, the pain in his arm no longer to be denied. Slowly his eyes opened and flickered as he looked up into Savage’s terrified face.

"Sandy!" Frank gasped. Raising a hand he gently pushed the hair from the other man’s face.

"Major Sullivan is dead," Kaiser announced from the floor, his voice full of sorrow for the needless loss of life.

Savage tilted himself to look at the corpse that he had carelessly tossed aside in his urge to get to Komanski. He could now clearly see the bullet hole and the missing back part of the head where the bullet had exited.

He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. It could so easily have been Sandy. As if on cue Komanski groaned again and gasped when Savage moved to help him to sit. Only then was the amount of blood on his sleeve seen.

Doc Kaiser leapt up and quickly assessed the situation. Shouting out orders he swiftly placed himself between Savage and Komanski. The General was unwilling to release his partner but Kaiser snarled, "The orderlies will be here instantly and I need to get him into surgery. He’s losing too much blood."

Savage reluctantly released him, seeing for the first time how pale Sandy was and how close to unconsciousness. Indeed, even as he let go the young man slumped forward. He watched helplessly as Sandy was transferred to a trolley and moved towards the operating theatre.

Savage was frozen. He felt shocked down to his very core and wondered if he was ever going to wake up from the nightmare he had suddenly found himself thrust into.

Major Stovall noticed the lost, confused expression on the general’s face and knew that the man had come very close to losing it. Gently he reached out and said, "Here sir, let me take care of this." He indicated Sullivan’s body. "Joe is awake and demanding to know what’s happening, he’s already tried to get out of bed twice... why don’t you go and make sure he stays just where he is." He paused not sure what else he could say that would make Savage move. Finally he added, "Sir... Colonel Gallagher needs you."

As the words finally penetrated through the shock, Savage swallowed hard and nodded. "I’ll be in with Joe for a few moments. As soon as Kaiser has finished I want a report on Sandy."

Stovall watched as Savage slowly walked down the hallway towards his other lover’s room. He could tell by the stooped shoulders that this incident was not going to be easily forgotten. He only hoped that between the three of them they could heal the wounds that had been created.

* * *

Epilogue

The cottage was quiet, the one light in the bedroom carefully concealed behind the black out curtains, as surely kept in as the heat that surrounded the three men who lay in the large bed.

"So Sullivan’s family won’t ever know the truth," Komanski was saying, his arm now only carrying a light bandage. His voice was tinged with relief as he had hated the thought of Sullivan’s family being hurt by the knowledge of what their son had suffered in his final moments.

"No," Savage said, having just lit a cigarette and twisting back to snuggle with his younger lover, who was firmly placed in his usual position between the two older men. "Pinetree and well, command in general don’t feel that releasing the true facts behind the incident would do anyone any good. As far as Sullivan’s family is concerned he died whilst cleaning his gun and Command believe that he just snapped under the pressure of the last flight and went berserk in the hospital."

"I can’t believe that all this happened while I was out of it," Gallagher grumbled. He had suffered the aftershock of learning just how close Sandy had come to dying. It still made his heart shudder and his hand tremble. For some reason he could calmly face that fact when they were on a mission because he firmly believed that they would die together. To learn on waking that a madman had taken Komanski hostage and then killed himself had sorely torn at his soul. He still felt the after effects of the shock.

"You know it wasn’t until he started ranting about Cohen that I remembered who he was and what Jeff told me about him..." Komanski said. "I can’t believe that Jeff would have used my name..."

"I think he must have been desperate. Sullivan struck me as being the obsessive type," Savage observed. "I did some digging and found out that Cohen had requested the transfer. From the looks of it he had been trying to get away from Sullivan for some time."

Sandy sighed deeply and closed his eyes as if to push the whole incident out of his brain. He didn’t see the look that passed over his head between his two lovers. They were concerned for Komanski who seemed to be healing a lot slower then he usually did. Even Gallagher with the more serious injury seemed to now be fitter then the younger man.

"Hey," Joe said, reaching out and gently tilting Sandy’s head up so that the other man had to look him in the eyes. "Cohen made his own decision about requesting a transfer and Sullivan chose to end his life. He was acting on a lie that was told to him by someone he loved. Sometimes that is the hardest fact to face... when someone you love doesn’t love you back." Gallagher was unable to prevent his look from flickering up to meet that of Savage.

"It just seems such a waste. Sullivan didn’t deserve to suffer like he did and then to kill himself. It... it seems so wrong... So unfair," Komanski finished, annoyed with himself for not being able to express himself better.

"It was unfair of Cohen to lie to him but he thought he was letting Sullivan down easy. He didn’t know he was going to die. He just wanted out of a bad relationship and took what he thought was the easier route, for both of them."

Komanski looked up at Savage. He knew that what he said was the truth but still... "I know what he felt like. When I heard that you had died," he said quietly to Savage, "I wanted to die as well." Wishing he didn’t have to witness the effect his words had on his lovers but he felt that he owed it to them to be honest. "It’s a terrible pain to have to live through..."

"But you have to live through it, Sandy," Savage reasoned. "You did. You managed to survive and that is what I wanted... I’d lie awake at night in that prison camp and wonder if you were still safe... alive. I knew that you would think that I was dead and I wondered if you had met...." He shot a glance across towards Gallagher who was silently watching, drinking in the words and trying to cover his own pain. "Someone, someone who could love you the way I did... I knew that when I returned I would have no right to interfere in your life. If things had worked out differently than this...." He motioned to the three of them in bed, "then I would have left. Allowed you to get on with your life. That is how much I love you, Sandy and how much I have grown to love Joe, too." He stopped and reached across Sandy’s body to grasp Joe’s hand before finishing, "I just thank god every night that it worked out for us, that we were able to see though the pain. That we can share this."

"If I die," Joe said suddenly, "Then I would want the two of you to continue, to be happy. It would tear my soul apart to think that my death would cause you so much pain that you could even consider doing what Sullivan did... to take your own life..." he stopped unable to continue.

Savage could see that they were only depressing themselves with the talk of death and he knew that in their line of business death was a constant companion and depression a harpy that undermined their very attempt at survival. It certainly should not have a place in their bed so he leaned over and kissed Komanski firmly but gently on the lips, then reeled Gallagher in for his kiss. It was soft and filled with as much tenderness as he could muster.

"You two have been out of my reach and in Kaiser’s clutches for over two weeks," he told them. "This is our first night free from the base and the worries and I am not about to spend it crying into my pillow. Now you guys are on sick leave for the next two weeks and I am on leave for the next eight days... So what do you suggest we do?" he raised an eyebrow as he spoke, his smile causing both men to suck in their breaths.

"I’m game for anything that doesn’t hurt my arm," Komanski said in total seriousness.

"Well the part of you I’m interested in isn’t even near your arm," Savage whispered reaching under the blanket and gently squeezing the appendage in question. Sandy gasped and licked at suddenly dry lips as his body instantly responded to his lover’s touch.

Gallagher laughed and reaching over he stole a kiss from Sandy, then gasped when Savage’s questing hand found his manhood and gave it a playful squeeze.

"Nope," Frank said with an evil leer which shot both men’s temperature up. "Yours isn’t near your injury either. Now, boys, just lay back and enjoy, ‘cause Kaiser gave me strict instructions on what I can and can’t do with you."

Whatever else he might have been about to say was lost as the other two men leapt on him, struggling to hold him down as they had their wicked way with him. Neither seemed to be desperately slowed down by their healing injuries, Savage was pleased to note.


End file.
